Variable condenser



Aug. 13, 1929. A. NYMAN VARIABLE CONDENSER Filed May 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN'T'OR III .l K.

ATTORNEY Aug. 13, '1929. A. NYMAN VARIABLE coNDENsE-R Filed. May 24, 1924 2 Sheets-sheet 2 E D l ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

1,124,884', UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER NYMAN, EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'T DUBILI'ER CON- DENSER CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VARIABLE CONDENSEB..

Application filed May 24, 1924. Serial No. 715,628.

My invention pertains to improvements in electrical condensers; especially condensers designed for variation of capacity 1n actual operation. l

An object of the invention is-to provide a variablecondenser that can be emplo ed with all kinds of electrical apparatus; ut is particularly adapted for signalling by radio; for example, in broadcasting. or receiving by being adjusted to Work with any Wave length that is bein used.

A further object oft e invention 1s to provide a condenser in which the elements of conductive material are in part movable the movable elements being constituted of an easily controlled fluid that has the property ofreceiving and carrying a charge of electricity for the necessary eriod of time,

the effect-ive quantity of the uid being capable of regulation to afford the capacity desired at any particular instant.

Other obects and advantages of this invention Wili be set forth in the following description, taken with `the accompanying drawings, and the novell features ofthe 1mproved condenser will be defined in the appended claims; butl of course reserve the right to make changes, not necessar1ly 1llustrated but embraced Within-the scope and ,spirit of the invention, as indicated by the broadv and general meanings ofthe terms in which the 'appended claims are expressed.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view, somewhat diagrammatic, of a complete condenser accordlng to my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one part of a Casin to receive the electrically conductive fluid employed in the practice of my invention;

Figure 3 shows in perspective another part of said casing;

Figure 4 is a top view of saidcasing, with part of the supply conduits shown' in broken mes; g A Figure 5 is a cross section'on line 5-5 of Fi ure 4;

igure 6 is a front view of said casing,

.the supply 'conduits being in cross section;

Figure 7 is a front view of an insulating plate carrying elements of solid electrically conductive material to coo rate with the conductive fluid in the con enser;

FiguwS is a sde'view of -said plate;

Veach Figure 9 is a top view thereof; and F1gure l() 1s a vertical section showing the-casing above mentioned and one of the plates presented in Figures 7, 8 and 9 beside The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

I can best describe the condenser herein i presented by reference first to Figures 2, 3,

" 7 and -10. In Figures 7 and 10, 1 is a plate most suitable,because it is not only a liquid at ordinary temperatures, but also metallic in its nature and, therefore, uite as conductive as the strips 2, whic can be of any convenient metal, such as tinfoil, or the like. These movable elements of mercury are indicated at m in Figure l() and they are contained in a casing 3, comprisingfa number of guideways 4, each of which is in proximity to one of the strips 2, and parallel therewith, being se arated from the strips of the nearest plate by the material of which the sidesor opposite faces of the casing is made. The design of the condenser permits the level of the mercury in the casing 3 to be varied, as by being raised or lowered," and of course, it is obvious that the higher the level of the mercury in this casing or container, the greater the number of guideways or ducts which will be filled by the mercury and therefore, the larger the number of metallic fluid elements m that will be 4disposed in the condenser in tion to cooperate with the strips 2, anollius the capacity of the condenser can be varied.

Figure 1 indicates the mannerin which the arts of the condenser .are assembled. It ilustratesv the condenser .as including a.convenient number of lstructures or casin in communication with a-conduit 5 thro which lmercury is supplied; and with't el total number `of cfmtaiaers', platea.

1, with stri s 2, and other important parts of the con enser, clamped iirmly between means comprising plates 6 at the two ends. AThe conduit leads to a pumping device 7,

5 containing two chambers 8 and 9, separated f circuit may be joined to a pipe 5.

by an operating member in the form of a piston or movable partition 10. The conduit 5 communicates with the chamber 8 on one side of the piston, and leading from the chamber 9 on the opposite side of the piston is a similar conduit 11, which also communicates with the different container structures 3. The container structures 3 will be in suitable number and spaced apart, with as many plates 1 bearing strips 2, as desired, between them. Each plate or body 1 with Vstrips 2 thereon constitutes a separate uiiit and in the middle of the number of such units, between each two adjacent casings 3, I insert a terminal member in the form of a metal plate or block 12. In Figure 1, I show ive of such-units between each of the terminal members 12, and the adjacent casings 3, and each group of units between one of the terminal members 12, and any one of the adjacent casings 3, will constitute a section, the various units of which are in series; that is, each strip of one plate will be in series with the nearestror corresponding strips of the adjacent plates. From the member 12 may extend connectors 13, leading to an elec` tric conductor 14, forming one extremity of the circuit in which the condenser is to be employed, and the other extremity of said Hence, as Figure 1 indicates, the strips of each unit are in series with the corresponding strips of the other units of each section; while the vilrilous sections themselves are united in para e.

'I shall` now describe more fully the casings 3, which are illustrated in perspective in Figure 2. Each of these casings may have one side or face consisting of a plate of in sulatioii 15 carrying at the upper and lower edges plates or bars 16 and 17. Between the two bars are ribs 18 spaced one from another and from the bars 16 and 17, to provide the fixed .to one face which is the inner face of the insulating plate 15. The casing is completed by fitting to the plate over the bars and ribs thereon, a cover 19 having ends 20 which will overlap the ends of the plate 15, this cover being best shown in Figure 3. As Figure 2 plainly indicates, the bar 16 at the top of the late 15 is flush at one end with the end ofp the plate 15, but terminate short of the opposite end; and the bar 17 has one extremity Hush with this opposite end of the plate, while the otherA end offthis bar terminates shortof the first end of the plate 15. yAll the ribs 18 are shorter than the length of the plate 15, so that when the the outside surfaces of these casings.'

`The mercy will lill the chamber 8, and f cover 19. is fit-ted upon the plate 15, there will be vertical guideways or header spaces at each end of the ducts or guideways 4, and communicating with the opposite ends thereof. These header spaces are indicated by the numerals 21, and the lower end of the header space 21, which extends downward past the bar 17, will be arranged so as to lead to the mercury supply pipe 5; while the upper end of the other header space 21 which extends past the bar 16 will be ut into communication with tli'e pipe 11. o connect the pipes 5 and 11 to these vertical guideways or header spaces, I may employ cap lates 22 fitting over the tops and bottoms o tlie casings adjacent the outer ends of these header spaces and leading to couplings 23, to enable` the conduits 5 and 11 to be joined to these spaces 21.

Of course, the plate 15, the cover 19 and the cap plates 22 will be made leakproof in any Jfeasible manner which need not here be may have a bend 24 therein leading across the front of the condenser as indicated in Figures 1 and 4. Preferably, the sheets 1 having the strips of foil 2 thereon carry these foils on only one face thereof; the opposite faces are placed against the terminal members 12 and when each section is made up, the units are so disposed that each sheet will present the foil strips thereon to the back or uncovered face of the adjacent sheet, and the sheets being closest to the casings 3 will have the strips 2 thereon pressed directly the conduit 5 and that portion of the mercury which is contained at any particular time in any one of the casings 3 will be the effect-ive quantity of mercury in operation, and will constitute a terminal meinber in the saine way as the plates 12. In the chamber 9, and the conduit 11, I use some insulating substance such as oil, and the oil and the mercury will be in suflicient volume to ll the chambers 8 and 9, the conduits 5 and 11, and the spaces 4 and 21, so that in the casings the lower level of the oil will always meet the upper level of the mercury. Hence, by moving the piston 10, the relative quantity of oil and mercury in any one of the container structures 3 can be varied, and the effective quantity of the inercury thus regulated.

If the piston is pushed down, enough meragainst cury can be caused to fiow into each of thel capacity, and the smaller the number of such spaces filled with mercury, the less will be the capacity of the condenser.

The device 7 may be a pump, with a reciprocable piston in it, or it may be made -like a bellows or accordion, with the walls thereof fluted vor corrugated, so that each portion above and below the partition 10 can be stretched or compressed to expand or contract either chamber 8 or 9. If made as shown, it may have a pair of disks 25 at one end, held together by. rivets to secure the adjacent edges of the bellows-like body between them, the disks 25 having an opening to receive the adjacent end of the conduit 5. At the middle, the partition or piston 10 may comprise similar disks 26, riveted toegther and secured to the sides, these disks 26 also carrying a bearing 27 having an opening 28 for one end of an operating rod 29. At the upper end, the adjacent edges of the body of the pumping device may be secured'between a pair of disks 25, similar to those at the bottom, and these disks besides being perforated to receive the end of the conduit 11, may carry a threaded bearing 3() through which the rodv 29 may pass, carrying on its outer end an operating knob 31. The inner end of this rod is smooth, to project loosely through the aperture 28 in the bearing 27, and a pin 32 may be driven through the inner end below the bearing 27, to cause the rod to engage the bearing to permit rotation of the rod in it. Hence, when the rod is turned, the partition or piston 1Q isactuated up or down. Of course, this devicev can be made in sections 33 and 34 and some material that can be fiuted or corrugated to permit it to be collapsed or expanded, the opposite or remote edges of the section being gripped together by the disks 25, and the adjacent edges being secured between the disks 26 of the piston 10. At 35, I indicate diagrammatically the opposite terminal of the circuit attached to the conduit 5.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the capacity of the condenser can be varied in a positive and certain manner andthe structure and design in such that `there is no likelihood of any of the parts being displaced or the function of the condenser becoming impaired in practice. Only the mercury and the members 12 are directly connected to the extremities of the circuit in whichthe condenser is to work, the strips 2 being isolated. This arrange- ,ment of.'v sections in multiple and units having strips which are in series, gives a con-Y denser with low internal resistance, so that little heating occurs when the condenser is in use; while the plates 1 or the sides of the casings can be made as thick, as is necessary for high potential, and the dielectric sheets 1 can have spaces at their opposite sides adjacent vthe ends of the strips 2 and at the top and bottom of sufficient width to give a large creepage distance between the units. The blocks 6 are forced against the extremities of the assembled condenser with sufficient tightness to hold the strips 2, the sheets 1, and the exteriors of the casings 3 in firm engagement, and thus maintain most efficient contact between the conductive elements of the condenser, and the dielectric separating them.

It is understood, of course, that the conductive strips 2 may be made as thick or as thin as ma structure, the parts fof which are shown in perspective inFigures 2 and 3, appears as if seen from the left of Figure 1.

The reason for dividing the insulation 2 into strips is to, enable the capacity to be increased or reduced step by step, without conoentration at any one point. If the insulation`2 were in the form of sheets the capacity would be concentrated aloner the lower edge of the sheets whenever the mercury level is low enough to fill only the first or second duct 4. at the bottom, and thus too much potential at one part of the condenser would result..

Theplates 1, strips 2, and the plates 1,5 and 19,'with the bars 1G and 17 and ribs 18 are really shown with thickness out of proportion in the drawings, merely for the sake of clearness.

Plates 15 and 19 may be of mica, and so may the bars 1G and 17. In this case the ends of the plate 19 will not have bent ends 20, but mica strips vertically placed between the plates 15 and 19 will close the spaces between the vertical sides of the two plates 15 and 19, thus' closing the sides of the casing 3 and the outer sides of header spaces 21.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States isz- 1. An electrical condenser including a plurality of elements of conductive material, all f said elements being substantially in the same plane, a structure having guideways adjacent said elements and likewise in substantially a single plane to receive a fiuid conductive substance to cooperate with said be desired; and the container' llO elements, and means for causing movement and a structure having guideways adjacentsaid strips adapted to receive a. conductive fiuid to cooperate with said strips. 3. An electrical condenser including units, each unitcomprising a body of insulation with strips of conductive material arranged side by side on one face only of said body, so that when such a unit is combined with a similar unit with its opposite face 'pre-- sented to the conductive stripsof said similar unit, said body will separate the conductive strips of the-twounits.

4. An electrical condenser including units, each of said units comprising a body having strips of conductive material side by side on f one face only, saidstrips being parallel with one another, each of said units capable of being combined with a similar unit, so that its opposite face is presented to the strips on said similar unit, with the strips of each unitoverlying the strips of the adjacent unit, but

u being separated byo said body therefrom,

5. An electrical condenser including ter- `minal members for connection with electric conductors and isolated intermediate units,

one of'said members having the form of a casing to receive an velectricall conductive fluid, the level' of which is variable in said casing, some of said members extending between the intermediate units.'v e

, 6. An electrical condenser including termi- .nal members and intermediate units, said i trically conductive uid.

nuits comprising separated strips of conduetive material, one of said members comprising a container havingl guideways adjacent said strips ada ted to receive anelec- 7. An electrical condenser including sections havin isolated conductive elements and termina members for the sections to enable them to be connected to an electrical circuit, one of said members for each section being of solid lmaterial and the other com# prismg a structure to receive an electrically,v

i* conductive Huid, the quantity of which is variable, some of said terminal members extending between said sections. l

8. An electrical condenser including solid Aelements of electrically conductive material,

'of the guideways and opposite ends o'f the Lacasse .which said strips are secured, a container' having guideways extending adjacent said strips, and spaces connecting opposite ends of the guideways, a pumpin device having a pair of chambers separate by a piston, a conduit foreach chamber to connect. one chamber to one of said spaces and the other chamber to the remaining space, a quantity of iiuid in one compartment to be forced into said guideways from .the other of said spaces and a quantit of iuid in the 'other compartment to be orced into said guidel Way from the other of said spaces,- one of said fluids being electrically conductive, said iiuids being in suiicient volume to fill the chambers, the conduits and the guideways and spaces, and make contact with each other, whereby movement of the piston will vary the relative quantities of the two fluidsl in the container. j

10. An electrical condenser comprising 4strips of electrically conductive material ar-J ranged 'side by side, a plateoinsulation to which said stripsl are secured,a container'Y having guidevvays4 extending adjacent saidstri s, and spaces connecting opposite ends of t e guideways, a pumpin device havinga 'pair' of chambers separate by a piston,'a, p

conduit for each chamber to connect 'one' chamber to one of said spaces at thevtop thereof, and the other chamber to the remailling space at the bottom thereof,- a cpiantity of liuid in one com artment to beorced into' said guidevvays t rough one of the spaces, and a quantity of iuid inthe other compartment to be forced into said guidewa s through the other space, one of said lui s being electrically conductive, said iuids being in suiiicient volume to ill the and s aces, and make contact with each other, w ereb movement of the piston will vary there ative quantities of the two uids in the container.

ALEXANDER NYMAN..

chambers, the conduits and the guideways In testimony whereof l aiiix my signature. l 

